


The touch is all the ocean needs to see through a man.

by DANCE0FITALY



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Blind Character, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Frank Iero Is A Sweetheart, Frerard, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Murder-Suicide, Ocean, Student Mikey Way, Student Ray Toro, Sweet Frank, and then do some other stuff, frank is an orphan, gerard is blind, he has a dad doe, they kiss
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:29:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27579187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DANCE0FITALY/pseuds/DANCE0FITALY
Summary: I heard his belt hit the moldy sand along with the pants he was wearing. If I wasn’t blind this would probably be the time I blush. After a bit of material shifting I finally heard him step into the water. It sent shivers down his spine, I could tell. Don’t ask me how I knew. I just did. [Gerard knew things, remember?]Originally a oneshot, turned into a miniseries. Updates every sunday.you can contact me on my twitter [@/DEM0LOV3RS]
Relationships: Frank Iero & Gerard Way, Frank Iero/Gerard Way
Comments: 11
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

T A L A S S O P H O B I A

The word resonated in my head like a scream in an empty hall. I never quite got why people were afraid of the ocean. Then again, I never quite got anything about humanity. People were way too complicated, outside and inside. The ocean wasn’t. The calming sounds of waves were better than therapy for me.  
Considering the temperature and a bit of wind I knew that it was already dusk. The air was at its purest form, a bit salty and almost moldy. The sand was quite damp also. Keeping my hands to myself, I hid my chin between my knees, listening to the sounds. Knowing I will have to go back to my house in a bit made me slightly upset. I came to the beach that night in search for inspiration and so far I got nothing. The cathartic aura of the coast also had its cons. Sometimes I wanted to think. Sometimes I didn’t want to forget about the entire world. 

Right as I was about to leave, something inside made me walk closer towards the shore. I took of my boots, grabbed them and carefully closed the distance between me and the ocean. I couldn’t remember when was the last time I was swimming. It was probably for the better, I was alone and nobody should ever be swimming alone, especially in my state. As I crouched to feel the temperature of the upcoming wave, the water slightly brushed my fingertips. It felt like a subtle handshake. I was in love with the ocean ever since I was a kid.

I don’t think I remember how it looks like. Sometimes I dream and see my minds visualization of what I feel, hear and smell. I don’t think it’s scientifically right, though. I’ve heard what others perceive the ocean as and it’s disappointing that so many people don’t see the true, pure form of it. They all care about what’s in sight. Nobody cares about the smell, the feeling, the sound first. People are too dependent on sight.  
Thinking about this, I got up and removed my hoodie. It was way too cold. But the handshake I received was almost welcoming. I knew that nature tends to not like humans. 

But I felt like it understood that I mean no harm. Like it knew me, like it knew me more than any human ever could. The touch is all the ocean needs to see through a man.  
I slowly got up, removing my jeans also. There was no point in looking around. Someone could see me, but it did not matter, I never perceived my body as something that belonged to me anyway. I slowly got into the water until it wrapped around my boney hips. The waves were inviting me to get in further, but I was way too scared to go further alone. Besides, I knew the limits of my body, I mostly spent my days lying in bed, my muscles were almost nonexistent compared to the strength of the ocean. It was pure, beautiful, but also very dangerous.

“Hey!” I heard a sudden call from the beach. The voice was low, masculine, quite squeaky. Probably a teenager. There was no point in turning around. Gazing into the waves I couldn’t capture, I responded.

“Me?” my voice was scratched like an old record. I didn’t like talking, sometimes I’d pretend I was mute for sport. People would believe me because, come on, who wouldn’t trust a poor, blind teenager? That boy has been through so much, I bet he didn’t just steal from that one store. He’s so smart, it’s because his father was never around.

“Yeah! Isn’t the water way too cold?” The voice called out. It resonated poorly over the waves, but I could hear the genuine concern. I felt the powerful stance that man had taken to appear older, more reliable. 

“I’m not going to be swimming, just feeling the water” I replied, this time turning my head towards the source of noise. 

“Mind if I join?” the boy called back. I didn’t, so I let him. “shit, left my boxers home” He mumbled in an almost shameful manner.

“It’s okay” I called out, trying to make things better, only then realizing it will sound incredibly weird without context “I- uh, I won’t be able to see you anyway” I gestured over my face, hoping he’ll understand. The silence felt awkward, so I took it as a “I get it, I’m so sorry” kind of reaction.

I heard his belt hit the moldy sand along with the pants he was wearing. If I wasn’t blind this would probably be the time I blush. After a bit of material shifting I finally heard him step into the water. It sent shivers down his spine, I could tell. Don’t ask me how I knew. I just did. [Gerard knew things, remember?]

“Shit, it really is cold, huh” He giggled. I liked the sound of his voice. It resonated well with the waves after he joined them. He stood about a wave away from me and we just kept jumping with every wave, it was weird, but peaceful. 

“I’m Gerard, by the way” I decided it was the perfect way to get to know each other. You know, the moment when we’re both absolutely naked, standing in front of each other, only covered up with water, and I can’t see a thing.

“Frank. You’re extremely pale, a tourist?” he asked. Frank was a nice name. I smiled, showing a bit of my teeth.

“No, I just don’t leave home as much as everyone does” I replied in a rather obvious tone. It took him a second.

“Oh! Yeah, yeah, I would too. I’m sorry, I’m not the brightest of the kids..” He giggled again. I smiled wider. 

“Can you swim well?” My voice got a bit less raspy, I could feel the salt in my throat. Another wave hit my behind and it reached my ribs. I laughed, wrapping my arms around my chest. It was really cold.

“Yeah, I mean, of course, I’m Frank fucking Iero” He answered, acting like I should know who he is. I didn’t. 

“I just wanted to know if you would help if I started drowning” I said, now calmly leaning against the air, gravity letting my back hit the unsettled surface of the waves. I let my head get completely soaked before going back up. I spat out water, rubbing my eyes and heard Frank laugh.

“Scared me there for a minute, Gerard. Can you swim?”

“I don’t quite remember” I giggled at that “It’s weird, I know I can float”

Just like that, we both felt the air change. It wasn’t as cold, our shared breaths weren’t strangers to each other anymore.

“Cool, that’s all you need. I am about to touch you, okay?” He asked in a soft, comforting tone.

“Okay” I replied, feeling the warmth of Frank’s left hand resting loose on my shoulder. It then started sliding down to reach my hand, hidden underwater. His fingers intertwined with mine and the sensation gave me goosebumps. 

“How old are you, Frank?” I asked, as he led me further into the water “I want to get to know you before you kill me” I started praying to god he got it as a joke. He laughed shortly.

“I am fifteen. You?”

“Seventeen” I replied without skipping a beat. His hand felt a lot more mature than a fifteen year old hand would. His fingertips weren’t as tender as the rest of his skin, which probably meant he was either an artist or a worker. His voice was very specifically clean and smooth, he probably had a band. It would make sense, he probably also played guitar. 

“Cool” He only replied. We got further from the shore, waves now hitting our bare shoulders. It was deep enough for me to move my legs to keep myself up on the surface.

“Can you grab my other hand too?” I requested, reaching out voluntarily. He grabbed it after a second, in a comforting manner. 

“I know it’s going to sound very stupid, but you have beautiful eyes” He murmured when we got closer. I only smiled at that, leaning my head on his shoulder like it belonged there.

“You’re very warm” Replying, I brushed my lips against his tender skin. Frank shivered in response.

“I- thank you” He said under his breath. I chuckled. 

“I bet you’re very pretty, too” 

It felt weird, but nothing ever felt normal for me anyways. After that I just felt his hand grip mine tighter, the other travelling all the way to my right cheek.

“Please tell me you’re real” 

“Are you?” At this point the conversation turned into an exchange of whispers. Feeling his breath on mine, I reached out to his face, feeling out his bone structure, first the bridge of the nose to the tip. It was quite pointy, not in as aggressive manner as mine, but it had its character to it. He giggled involuntarily at the sudden sensation and I smiled, feeling his cheeks go up to his eyes. I could tell his eyes were wide open, the type that pierces through everything. 

“Are they green?”

“Close, hazel” He replied in a welcoming, comfortable tone. It was nice to hear that he wasn’t creeped out, everybody else would at this point. When tracing the line of his nose again, I felt something cold brush against my fingertips.

“Is that a piercing?”

“Yeah, I also have one on my lower lip” He said, welcoming me to keep exploring his face. I bit on my own lower lip, tracing his cupid’s bow and his warm, soft lips. Mine were almost always bleeding, always dry and unpleasant. The piercing on his bottom lip was contrasting to the feeling of his soft, tender skin. I felt his lips peck my fingertips subtly as he spoke, his hand was holding onto me tight, almost as if he was afraid we both were about to drown. 

“We probably should get out before we get colder” He whispered and I nodded at that.

“Good idea”

I had to grow up way too fast to experience the pure joy of living. So whenever I’d witness something extraordinary, I’d make sure to cherish it. To save that memory like a souvenir, keep it somewhere warm and dry, like a shelf hidden somewhere in my mind. Treasure it. And kissing that boy was one of these memories.

We were both fully dressed up, sitting up on my hill that was hidden from the main side of the beach, both covered in sand, rolling over from time to time. He was on top of me, softly tasting my lips, his right hand combing out the strangles of my hair I had put in a messy bun, the other resting on my hip. Ever since I started going blind I could feel all of my other senses take over. That’s why the sensation of him touching me in such a poetically romantic way, his soft skin brushing against mine were driving me crazy alone. I never kissed anyone romantically before. His kisses were becoming more and more overwhelming as I nipped on his piercing. We have been kissing for so long it felt like my new eternity. Suddenly he gripped harder onto my hair and waited for my response, before licking my lower lip and I let out a sigh, telling him it’s okay. His other hand travelled to the back of my neck and he pulled me up, until we were sitting up, just for him to roll us over once again, now me being on top. We giggled and kissed once again. His tender sighs and breaths in between our kisses were like poetry to me, every time I felt like that was it, he was giving me more, and it would get so much better than the last time. His touch was sending me goosebumps, his hard fingertips brushing over my collarbones.

“You are so beautiful” He whispered, pulling away for a second. I could tell he was looking me in the eyes, I could tell it from the air. 

“How the fuck am I supposed to respond to that” I chuckled and he did too, putting both of his hands around my neck.

“We could just continue” he purred, kissing first my jaw, then my neck “You smell like the ocean”

“Yeah, you do too. You smoke, don’t you?”

“Why, do I taste bad?” He stopped with concern, only half-joking. 

“No, but your hoodie smells like smoke. I like it” I sad, letting him continue his work, as he rolled us over once again.

“You play guitar, right?” I asked, as his hands travelled up to my chest under the material of my hoodie. 

“How… How can you tell?”

“Your hands” I slowly reached out for his wrist, pulling it up between our faces, slowly touching every fingertip “I can tell you’re an artist”

He fell silent for a second, probably in shock. I’d give a lot of money to see his face right then. After jolting awake, he kissed my hand a few times.

“You’re too perfect to be real” Frank murmured, going back to massaging my boney body and reaching the belt of my jeans. “You’re too damn perfect”  
I grabbed his hair, it was soft and still damp, the already dried parts glued onto each other with salt from the ocean. 

“Is it black?” I asked, not having anything more to do ever since he gave his entire focus onto my belt.

“Wh- oh, yeah, it’s pretty damn black” He muttered under his breath, until I pulled him in for another kiss.

“Do we have to do it now?” I asked softly, as his hands instantly travelled back to cup my face.

“No, no, of course not, I just thought…”

“I do want this, I just… want to get to know you better before” I said, feeling him smile against my cheek.

“Of course, Gee” 

I smiled at the nickname, letting him fall right onto my chest. I would run my hand through his hair and torso, feeling it out, meeting his muscles, getting to know his body. His head was hidden in my neck, I could feel him breathing against my skin. Before I realized, I was drifting off to sleep, with a treasure kept in my hands, holding it as tight as I could, praying to God it will still be here when I wake up.

And it was.


	2. dusted rays of sunshine

It was a nice, warm morning. I kept my mind occupied and I got myself a nice cup of green tea. The air was a bit dry, but the feeling of rising sun pinching my skin felt good. The rays felt like last days of summer, it was a nice love letter to receive in the middle of autumn. When packing the last box with the stuff I kept in a shared bedroom with my little brother, I heard him step into the room.

„Want me to help you with that?”

It wasn’t too heavy, I could’ve dealt with the box myself. I knew that he meant no harm in his words and he knew my capabilities, but sometimes I felt better doing stuff by myself.

“Thanks, Mikes, but I got this” I said, walking out of my old bedroom. I was moving into the attic, finally about to have some privacy, since I showed my mother that I am mature enough to deal with almost everything by myself. Of course the family medic wasn’t the biggest fan of that idea, having in mind already millions of dollars the family would spend on my operations if I fell down the stairs, but they couldn’t get it. They didn’t know that being blind doesn’t make me any worse, I just can’t see the world the way they do, it doesn’t mean that I can’t see the world at all.

Well, poor choice of words. I can’t see. Like, at all. Ever since I started losing sight at the age of 8, I knew that there were no turning points. But I have learned to interpret the outside well enough for a bit of privacy in my life. Besides, I finally would have a place to listen to my music as loud as I wanted to, without anybody having problems with it.

“No, you certainly don’t” He answered, grabbing the box full of my stuff for me. “You were about to step on a lego, let me take care of this”

I sighed, but didn’t protest. Following him to the stairs that led to my new bedroom, I heard him sing under his breath in content. It’s been a while since I heard him do that and that either meant he knew something I didn’t, or the guy from across the street finally let him hit.

“What is it?” I asked, climbing up the stairs after him. The stairs were spiral shaped, but I had no trouble feeling out the next steps, I knew this house better than any other human being. 

“What?” He answered with a question, as I heard him put the box away on the floor of the emptied out room. There wasn’t much light, I could tell by his almost nonexistent shadow, but I had no trouble with that. The less light there was, the less distraction for me. I climbed all the way up and sat on the carpet.

“I can tell when you’re happy. You move faster, with less precision, your voice pitch gets higher. What is it?” I explained, playing with the strands of my ripped jeans. It took him a second to think about a reply.

“It’s stupid, you won’t get it anyway” He said in a bland tone. I hated when he did that, Mikey knew how I could tell certain stuff and made his best to make it harder for me.

“Come on, I won’t tell anybody anyway, it’s not like I have friends”

He fell silent for a second, filling the air with suspension.

“Alright, I will. But then you’ll have to tell me who you’re going out with”

“What? I’m not going out with anybody” I answered, not quite sure what he meant.

“Gerard, there’s a hickey on your neck” 

Oh.

I instantly grabbed on the place I remembered that boy suck on. It’s been two days and I finally realized why mom was so weirdly silent whenever I’d come into a room.

“And you’re telling me just now?! Fucking hell, Mikes!” I felt my blood heat up and there was probably a blush on my cheeks. 

“It was fun” He only said, making himself comfortable somewhere near me. “Now tell me about her. Is she into blind dudes?”

“Dude, fuck off” I reached out to push him but he dodged, making me look even more blind. He giggled at that, I probably made myself look ridiculous. “I’m not telling you shit until you do”

He stopped giggling and I heard him sigh, the way he would before saying something important, emotionally engaging. I made myself comfortable, sitting cross legged on the floor and waiting for him to begin. 

“I don’t have anything to tell you until you don’t have anything to tell me” He said in a quite serious tone. I knew that we were done playing around. This time it was me who sighed.

“It was weird, I don’t think it’s going to become a thing, me… me and him”

I just knew he put his eyebrows together, like he always did whenever he tried telling me he understood back when we were kids. He coughed, his sensitive throat not liking the way attic air tingled it. 

“I understand” He only said, still encouraging me to explain to him.

“I don’t owe you a story, I don’t see why you’d want to hear about it” I finally choked out, chuckling a little. 

“You’re my brother, I guess I just care about you. Plus, you know, you never know who you can trust…”

“Mikey, I’m the older brother here. I get that the entire world has made you believe that every single blind person is some kind of a vulnerable vegetable that’s never meant to go outside or they will die, but I’m okay by myself”

“No, it’s not… Not the blind part I’m worried about, Gerard. I mean you’re pretty tough, yeah, but I’m scared you’re yet to discover that… some people just don’t mean any good for you, I guess”

“Hence the hickeys, huh?” I laughed dryly, trying to set a bit lighter mood. He exhaled loudly, chuckling under his breath.

“Yeah, good for you, though! Now… do I know him?”

“I don’t know” I answered after a bit of hesitation, glad that we got back to that careless mood. “I don’t even… know him myself”

Mikey chuckled again.

“You’re not telling me my brother had a hit and run before I did” 

“I don’t think you understand what a hit and run actually means…”

“Oh, I most certainly do” he said, as he got up from the floor “Come on, I have school in two hours, I’ll be able to help you with all the boxes”

I liked Mikey. Well, of course I did, I loved him because he was my brother. But I liked the way he would handle things. He wasn’t most certainly an emotional kind of a human, he liked to hide stuff from the others. He also trusted me the most and knew that I am not a kid. Of course, sometimes I needed basic help and got frustrated quickly because I hated being infantilized. But he would understand and try to give me as much space as he could. It was nice, like we had our own language.  
I spent the rest of the day sitting on my mattress and listening to my favorite records on the player Mikey has brought upstairs. I didn’t have much to do anyways and I promised him I’ll wait until he comes back home to help me unpack all the boxes. 

We lived in a small town near the coast. We moved here a few years before I started losing sight so it wasn’t as bad as it could be for me to learn new places. Oh, just a heads up, by saying “we” I mean me, Mikey and our mother. Dad has built our house way before they got divorced, back when me and Mikey weren’t even planned. I remember it as very bright, I still can’t sense much shadows there. It was a pretty average house located very close to the shore. Right, the beach was right a few steps away. The beach…

My mind came back to that day I met the boy. His name was Frank, we chatted about music and movies for a bit before he offered walking me back home. And as we walked there, we held hands and exchanged one last kiss before parting ways.

“Can we meet again soon?” He asked in a soft and sleepy voice, playing with my hands as we laid on the sand.

“Probably. I don’t have a phone, though” I answered, not really knowing how to treat him.

“I figured. I live a few blocks away, maybe I could visit you? We could go grab a coffee or… whatever you’re into”

The silence, only broken by the sound of the waves felt way too comfortable for me to want to respond.

“A coffee sounds nice”

“Cool”

“Cool”

And just like that we fell silent again, content in each other’s arms, collecting our breaths and welcoming another day in a quiet, calm tone.

It’s been two days. I didn’t bother leaving my house since then, just existing by myself, thinking about that boy from time to time. I wondered how he looked like. Every person in my life that had a bigger role knew me before I lost sight, so I was quite familiar with the memory of them, that shaped the way I perceive them now. Frank was the first person besides the therapists and medics I was yet to discover without any help. 

I jolted awake when I heard the front door open with a loud thud. Was Mikey back already? I was pretty sure he should be at school. Oh well, it wasn’t like he never skipped class. The weird thing was, his footsteps weren’t leading into the kitchen, as they always did. I heard his boots shuffle over the carpet in the hall and then footsteps getting gradually louder, sending more and more vibrations through the floor. I heard him knock on the floor of the attic. I sat up on the mattress to tell him I’m awake. Felt his shadow lean an elbow on the floor, while most of his body was hidden under the shadow of the staircase. 

“Hey Mikes…”

“Who the fuck is Frank Iero?”


	3. fuck math, you've got a romance to live through

Ever since I met him, he occupied my mind like nobody did ever before. The pale, long haired boy with a subtle touch, able to perceive the world in a way in the most unexpected ways, he was all I could think about. The touch of his rough lips on mine and a silky smooth, kind voice still felt amazing, even as a memory. He was absolutely adorable. 

“Frank, you’re going to be late” I heard a muffled shout from outside of my room. I checked the time on my phone and was shocked to realize I spent the entire night awake, occupied by all the thoughts. It was Monday, which meant another week in a shithole I got to call my school. It wasn’t as bad as it could get, I just would rather stay at home or practice guitar, surfing, literally anything but go to school.

I didn’t have his number. It’s okay, though, he’s not a tourist so that shouldn’t be a problem. 

“Frank! For fucks sake, I’m leaving in five minutes!” 

Looks like no time for a shower, then. I put on a hoodie and a relatively clean pair of jeans along with my converse, reaching out for my bag. I didn’t even bother enough to put on deodorant, it’s not like I wanted people to get closer to me. Screw that, I didn’t want people to get close to me at any times. 

When sprinting downstairs I saw my foster dad still in a robe, with a mug filled with steaming hot coffee. I glanced at him with a confused look, only then realizing I didn’t brush my hair. I must’ve looked ridiculous. 

“What?” He smiled sweetly at me, reaching out to the counter for a second mug full of coffee. My mug, the one he got me on our first Christmas together, with “Frankie” printed onto it.

“Heard you were leaving in five minutes?” I managed to mutter under my breath, taking the mug and taking a sip before frowning in shock and spilling the coffee all over my hoodie.

“Careful, it’s hot!” He giggled, handing me a box of tissues in an instant manner. “Might wanna take the hoodie off, mijo” 

“Yeah, I figured, dad” I said mindlessly, dabbing the tissues onto the material, a stinging pain hurting my tongue. 

I saw him stop whatever he was doing and look at me. Shit, is this the first time I called him that? We lived together for about five years now, it couldn’t be. We actually were on pretty good terms, like roommates, but he was the only one paying the rent and he would help me with my homework from time to time and buy me stuff. I’d say we’ve been growing closer from day to day and it wasn’t something I cared about much, really. Yet there he was, smiling like a motherfucker. I shouldn’t have said it, now it was all awkward. 

“I’m gonna go change, get the engine started?” I said, rushing upstairs as he nodded to my instructions. 

I changed into a dark blue turtleneck, putting on a black t-shirt over it to cover a bleach spot I got when tie dying a few shirts with Ray. Grabbing my phone from the counter I checked my hair out in the mirror, making sure it looked decent and went to the bathroom to throw the hoodie in a laundry bin.

As I walked downstairs again he was there, already fully dressed up, pouring the coffee from my mug to a thermos flask over the sink. 

“Your meds, Frank” I heard him say, as I was putting on my jacket. Right, the meds. Two pills placed on a comically small plate, right next to a glass of water. I swallowed the pills as fast as I could to avoid the awful aftertaste, chugging the water down my throat afterwards. He observed as I did so, taking the emptied out glass from me and giving me the flask instead.

“I’m sorry, I trust you, but I have to do this. Open your mouth, Frankie”

“Jesus Christ, dad, I don’t need a nurse…”

“I said open” He stated in a more serious tone. I knew that he meant no harm and only did what the people upstairs advised him to do. I’d be concerned too, if I was supposed to take care of a teenager and call him my son. I opened wide, letting him take a look, raising the tongue upwards when he told me to do so.

“Alright, looks like we’re good to go” He shared an apologetic and reassuring smile. 

He let me take care of the music in the car, as always whenever he’d drive me to school. I knew that this was a part of making me feel better and getting in a better mood. I put on a random pop punk playlist and tapped my foot along to the rhythm of the music. At last we arrived to the building which I called my school. The last song ended perfectly as the engine stopped as he turned to me. 

“Now, be a good student and make me proud, alright mijo?” He said, only half joking. I exhaled loudly, gripping on a leash of my backpack.

“Will do, dad. I’m probably gonna go to Ray’s after school, that alright?” I answered, unfastening my seatbelt and looking at him for approval.

“Yeah, sure. Just make it home ‘fore eight, okay?” 

I nodded, stepping out of the car.

“Okay. See ya!” I waved to him as he drove away. 

“Iero! Daddy still spoiling your ass?” I turned away to see one of my close friends, Mikey, walking up to me. I scoffed him off, grabbing a handful of his hairsprayed hair and making sure to ruin it as bad as possible.

“Fuck off, Way” I only replied, as he hissed, slapping my hand back.

“Fuckin’ great. I hate you so much” Muttering under his breath, Mikey tried fixing that god awful hairstyle.

“It’s okay, he won’t see you anyways”

“Who won’t see me?”

“Oh you know who, that senior from the band…”

“Speaking of the devil, our senior’s approaching” Mikey cut me off before I could finish, running up to Ray, who was slowly making his way towards the building. I soon followed.

“My two favorite white boys” Ray smiled, giving us both a fist bump.

Ray was probably the coolest person I’ve ever met. Taller than anybody I’ve known, had a badass hairstyle that got him all the girls and boys and was incredibly talented. He played in about seven bands, in some as a drummer, but his guitar skills were what made him so popular in the scene of the nearest cities. He would give us free tickets for his shows if we promised we wouldn’t be acting like children. I still had a big, black X on the back of my hand from the last time, that I couldn’t wash off. 

After entering the school we all kind of parted ways and I managed to meet Mikey and Evan after three lessons. We had the longer lunch break now, so about 20 minutes of free time. We happily reached the corner of the school common room and rushed to the bean bags. After making myself comfortable, I reached for a book I started reading lately.

“What’s up, losers” A short haired brunette approached us with a smirk on her face. She had my grey hoodie on, looking way too big for her, covering her body all the way to thighs that were partly covered by a black miniskirt and thigh highs. 

“Hi, Jam. All dressed up I see. Is there a date we should know about?” I said, receiving a smack on the top of my head, as she positioned herself laying between me and Mikey.

“You tell me, lover boy. What’s with the turtleneck, hiding a hickey or two?”

“Jay, we all know Frank’s the biggest virgin out of us all” Mikey stepped in, receiving a frown from me. “Like what? I’m not telling the truth?”

“Not exactly, Mikey Way” I said, turning my attention back to my book. 

“Oh really?” Evan finally broke his silence and looked up at me. “Frankie found himself a bride?”

I chuckled at that, not turning head from the old pages of my book. 

“Oh come on, we need a story!” Jamia snatched the book from my hands, carefully enough to not ruin it, but efficiently enough for me to look up. I looked at her with a pouty face.

“Et tu, Brute?” I asked in a dramatic tone as she chuckled.

“Now, you’re getting too smart for us. We need a story, Frankie! Who is it? Do we know him?”

“Why do you already assume it’s a guy?!” I barked, ready to defend my deep love for women as Mikey laughed.

“You’re a textbook example gay, Iero”

“Says who, Mikey Way! Shush now, let him talk!” Jamia silenced Mikey as I sighed.

“Fine, it I S a boy since that’s all you care about” I bursted out, grabbing the book back from Jamia’s hands. “He’s tall, but not too tall, has a black ponytail and is like, extra pale” I said, watching their reactions. Jamia’s face lit up, clearly realizing I’m not making shit up, when Mikey started staring off to the distance as I went on. “He’s also, um, visually impaired” I said with a softer tone.

“That would explain it all. If I were blind I’d also fuck the first boy in the corner” Evan chuckled, turning to Mikey. ”Right, Mikes? Mikes?”

We all turned to Mikey, who’s face got really pale in the last minute. He looked up at me with a stern look.

“What’s his name, Iero?” He asked in a concerningly polite tone.

“Uh… Gerard, his name is…”

“Shut the fuck up” He muttered under his breath, grabbing me by the collar and making me stand up to the point where our faces were really close. He narrowed his eyebrows, looking me straight into my eyes.

“Please tell me you didn’t fuck my brother, Iero”

“Oh shit!” I heard Evan laugh hysterically before receiving a smack from Jamia as we stared into each other. Only now I started realizing the resemblance in Mikey’s bone structure, the sharp facial features and a strong jawline to Gerard. 

“I… I didn’t know…”

“Yeah no shit” He muttered, not letting go of my collar and walking out of the room, making me follow shortly after like a poodle. I looked back at my friends, seeing Jamia look at me with a compassionate look as Evan crawled around the bean bag, laughing as loud as possible. 

He walked me to an empty corner of the hall, only then turning around to face me.

“What the fuck, Frank?”

“I didn’t know, alright! You never mentioned you had a brother!”

“I did, for fucks sake, Frank, I did! Why do you think I never had a fucking party at mine?”

I stopped for a second, only then realizing every single party Mikey had was at Pete’s.

“Alright, valid” I said, biting on my lower lip. I heard him take a deep breath and exhale in order to calm himself down.

“How long have you guys been doing this?”

“Mikey, it was a one-time thing, we met, we made out and we parted ways right after that…”

“I can’t believe it was you, holy fuck”

“What?”

“Nothing! It’s just… anybody, literally anybody, but you, Frank!”

“Excuse me?” I chuckled in a nervous tone, waiting for him to respond as he chewed on his lower lip.

“You still interested in him?”

“I don’t see where it’s your problem…”

“It is, Frank. He’s my older brother, alright, I need to know your intentions towards him”

“Well, uh, okay, papa Way…” I leaned on one of the walls, staring at the plain, flaking wall paint. “I mean, I guess I’d like to take him out some more…”

We both stood there in silence, listening to the noise from further down the halls. He groaned, pointing his sight at some dead point.

“The thing is, Gerard himself doesn’t know what he wants. He’ll need a lot of reassurance and attention in order to follow. He’s a difficult unit and I want you to understand what you’re getting yourself into. He will need a lot of help and I’m not here for comforting him after you realize it’s too big of a challenge for you and leave. He has been through this way too many times. Understand?”

I turned to look at him, seeing that he’s being 100% serious. 

“I totally understand, Mikes. I’m more than capable of this”

“It’s not a biology test, Iero, you can’t cheat on this shit. I need you to fully comprehend what you’re getting yourself into”

“I… Yeah, I understand, Mikey” I said, looking him straight in the eyes with the most certain look I could sell him. His shoulders went down, as his eyebrows went up. 

“No adult shit when I’m home. We have thin walls, got it?”

“Got it” I barked, sporting a smug smirk as I followed him back to where we came from.

“What class you got now?” He turned away to face me.

“Uh, math, why?”

“Fuck math” He said, as we reentered the common room. He reached for his bag, throwing me my backpack right after.

“Yeah, fuck math” I repeated, catching it and wondering what he’s doing.

“Jam, can you tell everyone I got sick? I’m going out” He said, smiling sweetly at our friend as she rolled her eyes. 

“You know you have to pass this class, right? Frank coming with ya?” She asked, looking at me in a confused matter as I smiled at her.

“Yeah, he’s coming” Way turned to me, rising his eyebrows at me as I nodded. If you dare to disagree with angry Mikey, you better have a deathwish. After that we waved at them before leaving and going straight to the restroom that had a crate taken out of the window, being an easy target for class skippers like us. It was on the first floor, but not high enough to be a threat on our health. 

“I’ll go first and catch our bags” He said, giving me his back that was fully covered in colorful pins.

“Got it” I mumbled, watching as he slowly got down and blindly reached for the cement roofing with his foot, checking it’s stability before letting go of the windowsill and sliding down, before jumping on the grass that was a meter away. He signaled to me to throw our stuff to him and as I did, I heard some kid go up to me, muttering something along the lines of “Teacher coming”. I turned around to catch the concerned look of no other than Pete Wentz.

“Hey, Pete”

“Better close that damn window before he realizes” He said, and as I did as he pleased so, he looked out to see Mikey, clearly getting the memo and hiding where the teacher wouldn't see him from this perspective. “Way with you?”

“Uh, yeah, we’re skipping together”

“Gentlemen, the break ends in five minutes, I’d advise finishing your business and going back to your classes” The tall teacher came up to us with a smug smirk. He was one of the new ones and I already hated the way he carried himself around the halls. 

“Right, sir. We will” Pete replied, sporting his teacher puppy smile, as the man nodded and left the room, probably bummed that he didn’t confiscate anybody’s vape. 

“Tell Mikey I’m still on for Friday, I just lost my phone” 

“What’s on Friday?” I asked, as he furrowed his brows.

“What’s it to you?”

“Oh, yeah, right. I’ll tell him, thanks for the heads up” I said, opening the window again and slowly sliding on the roof to the lowest point.

“Have fun, freaks” I heard him shout, before closing the window and I flipped him off before jumping out on the grass. 

“Fucking finally, what took you so long?” Mikey ran up to me, handing me my bag. 

“Met senior Pete” I said, trying to keep my tone rather mysterious and unbothered. 

"Oh. What’d he say?”

“Something about not being it able to make it on Friday, I dunno” I said, watching his excitement go away in a matter of seconds. “I’m kidding, dumbass. He says he’ll be wherever you guys are going, he just lost his phone or whatever”

“Good to know. Thanks” he said, not saying anything more until we reached the fence we easily climbed over.

“So, where are we going?” I asked, putting my hands in my jean pockets, smiling at him.

“You’re going to talk to him”

“Wait, what?” I stopped, grabbing him by the shoulder and making him face me. 

“He doesn’t have a phone. How else were you two supposed to link?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I… I don’t know”

“You’re so dumb” He scoffed, carrying on and making me follow. “Better think what to say once we get home”

“Shut up”

“You got yourself in this, I’m just making sure you take care of that now”

“Thank you so much, how much do you charge for your incredible services?”

“You’re getting grumpy, I’m gonna buy you a monster if it goes well. Deal?”

“You’re not selling me into this”

“I’m not?” He smirked, kicking a rock from the road as I followed, cursing him out for knowing full well I’d do anything for a good energy drink.

After approximately ten minutes of silent walking and rock-kicking, he led me into an alley I already knew. This part of neighborhood was close enough to the shore that we could hear the waves over the treetops brushing against each other by the wind. He led me to the house I recognized and turned around to me.

“Go wait in the kitchen, I’ll get him” 

I did as he advised, exploring every single piece of furniture I came across. The house was cozy and decorated in mostly cloudy colors, I made myself comfortable sitting on one of the chairs in the kitchen that was stationed at the end of the small hall. Looking out of the window I observed the conifers brushing against each other in the wind, until I heard a muffled conversation from somewhere upstairs. I began to panic, forgetting everything I wanted to say once I saw Gerard again. There were footsteps, rushed and uneven and I saw Mikey lean against the jamb with his elbow, eyeing me head to toe until I heard a familiar voice.

“You’re not telling me he’s here when I’m looking like that” A quiet, steady voice murmured from behind the wall. I nervously fixed my hair.

“Well, brace yourself, Gee Way, he’s not looking extra hot too” Mikey said, pulling out a chair from under the table. 

Gerard showed himself, still sporting the messy hair bun, along with some tracksuit bottoms and a grey band tee. He sat carefully down on the chair and sank down.

“Hi, Gee” I mumbled under my breath, watching his reaction.

“Hi, Frankie” He replied, selling the table a cute ass smile. I turned my eyes to Mikey and he realized he wasn’t needed anymore.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it. If you need me I’ll be in my room”

“Got it, Mikes” Gerard replied, only turning around back at me when he heard the door to his bedroom being closed. He reached out for my hand and walked around the table and our faces met as he made me stand up to line up with him.

“Hi” He whispered, running his fingertips through my hair as I was about to collapse. God, I missed his subtle touch.

“Hey” I muttered, feeling his lips on mine only a second later. And holy fuck, his kisses were addicting.

The sensation his subtle yet commanding touches gave me made my mind wander off to some void, where none of my problems existed, where it was just us, us alone. I wondered if we could stay like that forever, in our arms, skipping awkward first dates and dry first kisses. Maybe I could learn to be happy, content in his arms just like that. Maybe I could see myself next to him forever.


End file.
